Exploration of Teaching Material Characteristics in the Development of Scientific Writing Digital Textbooks with Process Approaches and AI and Multimodality-Assisted

This study examined the characteristics of scientific writing textbooks used in senior high schools in Surakarta, Indonesia, particularly regarding multimodality and artificial intelligence (AI) integration within the Kurikulum Merdeka framework. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, especially content analysis, the study analyzed two textbooks—a government-issued main textbook and a supplementary textbook—based on Cunningsworth’s eight textbook evaluation criteria. The findings indicate that both textbooks generally meet the criteria in terms of instructional aims, organization, language content, integration of language skills, and alignment with project- and problem-based learning approaches. The materials support students’ scientific writing development through systematic activities and contextual themes. However, several limitations were identified. Both textbooks remain predominantly print-based and verbally oriented, with limited integration of multimodal elements such as audio, video, interactive layouts, and infographics. In addition, no evidence of AI integration was found across the stages of pre-writing, drafting, revising, or post-writing. Writing tasks also tend to emphasize technical and mechanical aspects, while creativity, differentiation, and interdisciplinary contextualization receive limited attention. These findings suggest a gap between existing textbook practices and current pedagogical developments emphasizing AI-supported, multimodal, and process-oriented writing instruction. Therefore, future scientific writing textbooks should integrate AI and multimodal features to support reflective, interactive, and contextually relevant learning aligned with the goals of the Kurikulum Merdeka.